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Executive Summary:
Google Cloud Skill
Badge Impact Report

Abstract
When people invest in earning their Google Cloud skill badges, they develop the latest, in-demand cloud
skills needed by organizations. After completing their skill badges, earners surveyed indicate gaining
real-world experience and an ability to confidently showcase their cloud skills. Additionally, holders
report that Google Cloud skill badges helped them be more prepared to pursue Google Cloud
certifications.

Interested in beginning your Google Cloud skill badge journey? Join the myriad of learners who have
already found value. Get started here.
Introduction
More than 90% of IT leaders want to grow their
cloud environments in the next several years.
Impact of Google Cloud
However, more than 80% of those same leaders Skill Badges
feel they have a lack of skills and knowledge
among their employees to achieve this growth.1

As technology continues to change employees

and organizations need to stay ahead of the
skills gap. Google Cloud skill badges offer a 86%
solution to validate extensive knowledge across
a rapidly evolving cloud technology. Google
Cloud skill badges are micro-credentials that agree that skill badges helped build their
cloud competencies.
equip learners with real-world, hands-on
experience in specific knowledge areas. Skill
badges recognize people for their proficiencies
and give them the opportunity to validate their
skills. 82%
To measure the impact of Google Cloud skill
badges on individuals, Google Cloud agree that skill badges allowed showcasing
commissioned an independent third-party of growing cloud skills.
research organization, Gallup, to conduct a web
survey of 2,012 recent Google Cloud skill badge
earners. The goal of the study was to identify
the level of value and satisfaction among
87%
Google Cloud skill badge holders.

The results of the survey detailed in this report

agree that skill badges provided real-world,
show that skill badge earners overwhelmingly hands-on cloud experience.
gain value from and are satisfied with Google
Cloud skill badges. Skill badge holders also
report they can easily apply the competencies
they learned to their career development.
88%

are satisfied with the fairness of the

1
Germain, J. M. (2020, November 3). Skills shortage rains on cloud challenge lab assessment.
advances. TechNewsWorld. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from
https://www.technewsworld.com/story/skills-shortage-rains-on-clou
d-advances-86906.html
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A Google Cloud skill badge is a digital badge issued by Google Cloud in recognition of an
individual's cloud proficiency with Google Cloud products and services. Using the challenge
lab, Google Cloud skill badges also test individuals’ ability to apply that knowledge in an
interactive, hands-on environment. A skill badge is earned by completing a series of hands-on
labs and taking a final assessment challenge lab to test a learner’s skills. Skill badges are earned
through the Google Cloud Skills Boost learning platform.
Growth Today and Success Tomorrow:
People pursue skill badges for both
immediate learning and long-term
advancement.
Survey responses show that skill badge holders fall into two primary groups — people who desire new
skills for their immediate needs and those looking for future advancement. Specifically, the majority of
Google Cloud skill badge holders surveyed report a desire to learn about Google Cloud (87%) or to
expand their existing Google Cloud knowledge (61%).

While skills development and growth are the two primary motivators for earning skill badges, over half
of earners also report using the Google Cloud Skills Boost learning platform to prepare for a Google
Cloud certification or enable their professional advancement. Specifically, 55% report earning a skill
badge to enhance their resume and 50% report earning one to help prepare for Google Cloud
certification(s).

Primary reasons to earn a skill badge

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The Far-Reaching Benefits of Skill Badges:

Earners gain confidence and relevant,
applicable abilities.

Skill Badge Earners feel

Overall satisfaction with
well-equipped with a wide
Google Cloud skill badge program
variety of accurately (n=1,153)

tested and validated skills

Of the holders who were surveyed, 89% report 57%
being satisfied with Google Cloud skill badges 5 - Extremely satisfied
overall. Respondents are most satisfied with the
completeness of topics covered (83%) and the 32%
accurate testing and validation of skills (83%). 4
That is, skill badge earners feel well-equipped
with a wide variety of accurately tested and 9%
validated skills that are relevant and applicable 3
for day-to-day use.
2%
1-2 - Not satisfied
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Skill badge holders feel more confident in their cloud skills

and professional endeavors.
Earners are more than satisfied with what they learn through the Google Cloud skill badge program.
They feel more prepared to achieve their career goals, confident in their current cloud skills and poised
to succeed in their long-term professional endeavors. Specifically, upon completion of Google Cloud
skill badges:

● 83% feel more confident in their cloud skills.

● 78% feel more confident in their professional future.
● 76% feel they can prove cloud skill competency to recruiters for in-demand jobs.

These various confidence boosts contribute to more than seven in 10 (73%) earners believing that their
resume is more impressive because they earned skill badges on the Google Cloud Skills Boost learning
platform.
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Earners Eagerly Promote Their Skill Acquisition to Peers

and Employees
Skill badge holders are eager to share their newly acquired skill badges in a wide variety of professional
venues. Specifically, 93% of Google Cloud skill badge holders report that they have shared or plan to
share their skill badges on their LinkedIn profiles. Furthermore, more than four in five skill badge earners
have shared or plan to share their skill badges in their professional interviews (88%) or on their resumes
(86%).

These skill badge holders perceive high value in simply displaying and promoting their Google Cloud skill
badges. Plus, more than one-third of earners report going a step further and applying for a job or
internship where they can use the skills they validated with their skill badges.

More than one-third of earners

report applying for a job or internship

37% where they can use the skills they

validated with the skill badge(s)
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Preparing for Future Growth and Opportunities: Skill

badges give earners the tools, training and confidence
they need to achieve future learning goals.

Skill Badges Enhance Impact of Google Cloud

One’s Certification Skill Badges
Journey
Nine in 10 skill badge holders report being
interested in Google Cloud certification 68%
preparation following skill badge completion.
Furthermore, 68% of earners report specifically
using skill badges as a preparation tool for a used skill badges to prepare for a Google
future Google Cloud certification. Of these, Cloud certification.
90% report that skill badges in fact helped them
in preparing for their Google Cloud certification
journey.
90%

agree skill badges have helped in their

Google Cloud certification journey.

90%

are interested in Google Cloud certification

preparation as a result of completing a skill
badge or badges.
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Skill Badge Holders Satisfaction Leads to Further Learning

with Google Cloud
Google Cloud Skills Boost platform users are engaged learners who desire to acquire new skills. This is
illustrated by earners’ plans within the six months following completion of their skill badges. Specifically,
78% plan to complete additional Google Cloud skill badges while 74% plan to utilize their real-world,
hands-on experience and pursue a Google Cloud certification.

78% 74%

plan to complete additional plan to complete a

Google Cloud skill badges in the Google Cloud certification
next six months. in the next six months.
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Survey Methodology
This report is based on survey insights from 2,201 participants who had earned a Google Cloud skill
badge on the Google Cloud Skills Boost learning platform. Surveys were conducted in a single wave
between March 28, 2021, and August 20, 2021. All participants were sent email invitations containing
survey links which were managed by Google and data was collected using Google’s Qualtrics platform.

Participant Profile
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